Russia and Turkey have decided to set up a demilitarized zone between the armed opposition and the government troops in Syria's Idlib province by Oct. 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday. 

The demilitarized zone with a depth of 15-20 kilometers will be created along the contact line of the armed opposition and the government forces, Putin said at a joint press conference following talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Russia's Sochi. 

Putin and Erdogan also agreed on the withdrawal of "heavy weaponry from this zone," including tanks, multiple launch rocket systems, and rocket launchers belonging to all armed groups, the Russian leader added.

Mobile patrol groups consisting of Turkish army units and Russian military police units will control the situation in the demilitarized zone, Putin said, according to a Kremlin press release.

"Russia and Turkey reaffirmed their determination to fight terrorism in Syria in all its forms and manifestations," Putin said.

"We will continue to work on the formation of a constitutional committee consisting of representatives of the Syrian leadership, opposition forces and the civil society," he said.

There will be no military operation against the armed opposition in Idlib and the Russian military will soon coordinate with the Syrian forces, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said following the Putin-Erdogan meeting.

The Syrian government forces backed by Russia and Iran were preparing an offensive against the rebels' last major stronghold in Idlib, although Turkey and the United States have repeatedly warned against any operation.

Top image: Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) wait to enter a hall during their meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, in Sochi, on Sptember 17, 2018. 

(With input from Xinhua)